What comes after the over-garnished Bloody Mary and the TikTok-famous Parmesan Martini? A micro-trend that’s actually drinkable, requires real mixology chops, and still manages to stay playful and surprising: the salad cocktail.
Everywhere you look, there’s a zesty drink inspired by a salad—whether it’s an iconic dish like the Caesar, a veggie-forward spread, or just a loose mix of vegetables. Crudités? At Mon Ami Gabi in Bethesda, the Vesper Crudité Martini blends gin, crudité-infused Ketel One, and Lillet Blanc. Another Caesar riff? The Cardini at Denver’s Lady Jane leans into the salad’s signature flavors with anchovy oil, a Parmesan rind, MSG saline, and chive oil. Prefer a nameless hodgepodge? Bacarosa, an upscale Italian restaurant recently opened in New Jersey, pours Salad Days, a savory tomato-water gin martini with cucumber, bell pepper, olive oil, and a dash of salt and pepper.
“The inspiration for Salad Days came from my childhood’s summer BBQs, where there would always be a salad made of iceberg lettuce, cucumbers, sliced tomatoes, green and black olives, sometimes bell peppers,” says Bacarosa’s Director of Operations Eric Binder. “Over the course of the day, the juices from the varied ingredients would collect at the bottom of the bowl, and somehow I discovered this juice and found it to be delicious.” The cocktail, Binder says, “is inspired by those flavors with a bit of nostalgia for youthful discovery.”
The appetite for original ideas like this is large enough that even niche salad-adjacent spreads are getting homages of their own. La Vie in Washington, D.C., pours the Bei-root, inspired by the beet spread served on a mezze platter, and mixes tequila with beets, charred red bell pepper, carrot, mango, and harissa. In Los Angeles, Bar Benjamin’s Tzatziki Martini brings together gin, aquavit, cucumber, dill, mint, lemon, and yogurt for a clarified sip reminiscent of a Greek salad.
But perhaps no salad is riffed on more often than the Caprese. With numerous showings across the U.S., its tomato and basil appeal is undeniable. At the recent Brooklyn opening of Sungold, the Caprese Martini pairs Ketel One vodka with tomato, basil, and mozzarella clarification, finished with a blue cheese–stuffed olive. At Guisto in Newport, RI, Caprese My Name mixes basil, tomato, and vodka with pasta water for a creamier texture. And the list goes on.
Why the Caprese? Sungold’s bar captain Armando Acevedo believes it comes down to the surprise factor, the instantly recognizable salad reimagined. “Guests enjoy the familiar flavors presented in a new way, and it creates a memorable experience,” he says.
